


The Night That Couldn't Exist

by thepurpleninja5



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 22:04:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9291464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepurpleninja5/pseuds/thepurpleninja5
Summary: Season 4, somewhere between "Born & Raised" and "Meet 'n' Greet". Ben's POV mostly. Ben is broken, and as it turns out, he's not alone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I love Parks and Recreation so much! And I really love Ben and Leslie. Their romance inspires me. I hope you enjoy. Kudos and comments are appreciated and wanted! :D

They are not together anymore. 

Leslie Knope is not his. 

These are the things he had to repeat over and over again.  
He had spent years alone, feeling broken and she had changed all that. Leslie Knope changed him by loving him. But she was gone now. That is reality. 

Everytime he saw her pass by in City Hall it was like a punch in the stomach. She seemed fine. Good, even. She always had a smile on her face and a determination in her eyes. She worked and kept busy the same as always. He couldn't blame her... she was finally getting her dream. He knew this was the right thing to do. It just hurt so bad especially when he could admit he very clearly wasn't doing so hot. 

He went home that day basically as soon as work was over and passed out on his couch as soon as he got inside. 

\---------------

It was 1:30 am.

He was still passed out on the couch when he was woken by a knock on his front door. 

He stumbled up and moved towards the door. 

As he pressed against the peephole, he almost didn't register the blonde curls and blue eyes nervously shuffling on his porch mat. 

He froze.

"Ben?" She called, her voice was shaky. "I know you're there... I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm doing I--"

Suddenly and without thinking, he made a decision. He turned the lock and the door swung open. She was just standing there. 

"Leslie... what are you doing here?" He stared into her deep blue eyes, they almost looked misty but that had to be in his mind. She had to have a real reason to be here, it clearly wasn't about them.

She didn't answer. There was this desperation in her eyes... something he didn't understand. Before he had any more time to think about it she was touching him.  
It was fast and reckless, her arms were around around his neck and and their lips were locked together. He stopped breathing the day they broke up, but he was touching her and it felt like he could finally breathe again. 

They stumbled inside together and over to the couch. Kissing Leslie always made him feel like he could fly, but he forgot just how connected he felt to her. He was running his hands up and down her body, trying to touch as much of her as he could reach. She had her hands tangled in his hair and was pulling him as tight as humanly possible. It was cathartic. All the love and closeness that they missed the last few weeks slowly melted away as their lips moved so passionately together. Twenty minutes later she was laying quietly against him. She was lazily kissing where ever she could reach as he played with her hair and pepper kisses all over her face and neck. He decided it was time to say something. She felt him retract, it was only a little, but it was enough. 

"I'm so sorry...." 

She moved up and shifted a little farther away on the couch.

Ben sat up. "Leslie, I don't understand. What are you doing here?"

"I know this sounds terrible... but I miss you so much. I felt like I was going to drown if I didn't come see you."

She looked and sounded so disappointed in herself. It made his stomach burn. He reached out and cupped her cheek with one hand and pulled her into him with the other. He knew this would hurt later, but right now she was here and that's all that mattered.

He felt the sobs before he heard them. She was crying. He made Leslie Knope cry. Leslie Knope, the woman who could do anything, who could go nonstop for days at a time and never slow down, he made her cry. It was right then he lost it as well. He didn't think of himself as much of a crier, but the quiet sobs came out to match hers perfectly. She looked up at him. 

"I am so sorry I came. I didn't want to hurt you more, I swear." She choked out between cries. She took a breath and composed herself. "I know this campaign is what I want and I know I can't put it at risk, but, I am miserable without you."

"You are...?"

Her eyes got wide with surprise, "Yes! I don't think I've ever felt more empty."

"I guess... I mean... you just seem fine. I'm a wreck and you are fine."

"Does this look fine?" She gestured to herself with the hint of a smile. "I keep busy. That's the difference." 

He had just gotten himself together, but hearing that she was missing him just as much as he was missing her made his heart ache. But she needed him to be strong, and that was what he had to do. 

"Leslie, the way I feel about you... it's big. Big like hold a stereo over my head outside your window big. Like make a complete idiot of myself just to make you smile big. Like marry you and live the rest of my life in your arms big."

She was starting to tear up again but honestly, he was happy she was here. 

"Your campaign has to be your priority. It's your dream..." She started to look down and the burning sensation started flaring up again. "But you're my dream."

She looked at him, looked deep into his soul for what seemed like years until she finally pulled him into her arms and cradled him against her chest. 

"This campaign won't last forever." She said quietly after a while of just sitting there. "I would never ask you to wait, but maybe this isn't the end, maybe it's just the end for now."

He nodded softly against her. He never wanted to move, but he did. He pulled himself up. 

"Well Ms. Knope, since you have already affectively shown up at my house and basically ruined all my amazing progress on getting over you..." He said with a dopey grin on his face. It got a little softer, more vulnerable. "Could you stay tonight?"

"Mr. Wyatt, while I see your point about my surprise visit, I would say, according to you, there wasn't too much progress to interrupt". They both giggled and held on to each other tighter than was necessary. "I would have to leave first thing in the morning." She said suddenly, with no more silliness in her voice. "And this can't happen again. I can't do this again. To both of us."

"I know."

"And you still want me to stay?"

That was a loaded question. Of course he wanted her to stay. But he knew deep down that even if the campaign wasn't going to last forever, she was headed for bigger and better things. Bigger things than a screw up guy like him. So, he made a decision. If there was a chance this was really his last time with Leslie Knope. The last time she was his, he was going to make the most of it. No matter how much it may hurt later. 

Instead of answering, he stood up with a smile and offered her his hand. As she got up he quickly sweeper her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. 

\---------------

He woke up around 4:00 am, mostly because he was too anxious to sleep. She was still there, he exhaled. They had only fallen asleep about an hour ago. He forgot how much he missed just being close to her in every way. 

She stirred beside him. He knew it was only a matter of time before she got up and left. He put those thoughts out of his mind. He wrapped the girl of his dreams up in his arms and pulled her close enough for him to bury his face in her hair. He drifted off happily. 

\---------------

When he woke up again at 6:30, she was gone. Leslie Knope was the love of his life, no questions. He didn't move and let his eyes close while he began re-live the hours of lovemaking and cuddling from last night. Maybe waiting could work. It would have to.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated and wanted! :D


End file.
